02-15-2021, 08:42 AM
Posting this report at Tom’s suggestion. If it should be located elsewhere, please advise.
After being parked for several months - plugged in - I got the coach ready to move and found the start batteries dead. From the pilot seat, I reflexively reached for the merge switch and brought 600AH of lithium house batteries into action. Turned the key and everything went dark. I had blown the 400A fuse protecting the hot side of the house bank. Additional follies ensued before I stopped trying things. The original problem was the failure of the Echo Charger, now being replaced with an AmpL charger per thread http://newellgurus.com/showthread.php?ti...rge+switch.
My experience with the lithium batteries thus far has been that they will handle a huge charge rate and will put out huge current if given the chance. In this case, I asked them to provide charging current to the start batteries (at 7.5V) in addition to cranking the Detroit 60 engine. Not sure what that total would be, but the start batteries total 2800 CCA. My attempted procedure may work with lead acid house batteries - any experience to report?
The solution in this case was to (after restoring the fuse) merge the batteries and just wait for the start bank to come up to voltage. (Even this was an emergency measure, as the unmeasured current into the 8D lead acid batteries was making them bubble vigorously. It would have been preferable to charge them properly.) Then un-merge and start the engine. Bottom lines: not advisable to start the engine with a lithium house bank, and “Don’t just do something; stand there.”
I've attached a sketch of my charging system. The Sterling charger replaces the original battery isolator, to modulate the house battery charging by the alternator while driving.
Comments welcome.
After being parked for several months - plugged in - I got the coach ready to move and found the start batteries dead. From the pilot seat, I reflexively reached for the merge switch and brought 600AH of lithium house batteries into action. Turned the key and everything went dark. I had blown the 400A fuse protecting the hot side of the house bank. Additional follies ensued before I stopped trying things. The original problem was the failure of the Echo Charger, now being replaced with an AmpL charger per thread http://newellgurus.com/showthread.php?ti...rge+switch.
My experience with the lithium batteries thus far has been that they will handle a huge charge rate and will put out huge current if given the chance. In this case, I asked them to provide charging current to the start batteries (at 7.5V) in addition to cranking the Detroit 60 engine. Not sure what that total would be, but the start batteries total 2800 CCA. My attempted procedure may work with lead acid house batteries - any experience to report?
The solution in this case was to (after restoring the fuse) merge the batteries and just wait for the start bank to come up to voltage. (Even this was an emergency measure, as the unmeasured current into the 8D lead acid batteries was making them bubble vigorously. It would have been preferable to charge them properly.) Then un-merge and start the engine. Bottom lines: not advisable to start the engine with a lithium house bank, and “Don’t just do something; stand there.”
I've attached a sketch of my charging system. The Sterling charger replaces the original battery isolator, to modulate the house battery charging by the alternator while driving.
Comments welcome.
2001 #579 ("Chester's Coach")